Liam Neeson, 65, Steven Spielberg, 71, and Sir Ben Kingsley, 74, reunite for emotional screening of Schindler's List... 25-years after film's release

By Jason Chester for MailOnline

Published: 04:10 EDT, 27 April 2018 | Updated: 04:48 EDT, 27 April 2018

Liam Neeson, Steven Spielberg and Sir Ben Kingsley reunited for a screening of Schindler’s List on Thursday evening, 25-years after the harrowing war drama swept the boards at the 66th annual Academy Awards.

The three stars attended what proved to be an emotional retrospective on behalf of Speilberg’s 1993 film about German businessman Oskar Schindler, who saved more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees from the gas chamber by employing them in his munitions factories at the height of World War II.

Held at New York's Beacon Theatre on day eight of the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, the screening gave Neeson, 65, who played Schindler, the opportunity to reminisce about the blockbuster with director Speilberg, 71, and former co-star Kinglsey, 74.

Come together: Steven Spielberg, Liam Neeson and Sir Ben Kingsley reunited for a screening of Schindler’s List on Thursday evening, 25-years after the harrowing war drama swept the boards at the 66th annual Academy Awards

Come together: Steven Spielberg, Liam Neeson and Sir Ben Kingsley reunited for a screening of Schindler’s List on Thursday evening, 25-years after the harrowing war drama swept the boards at the 66th annual Academy Awards

Actresses Embeth Davidtz and Caroline Goodall, who won plaudits for their respective roles as Helen Hirsch and Emilie Schindler, completed the reunion ahead of the special screening and ensuing panel discussion. 

Addressing the audience following an extended round of applause as the final credits rolled, a visibly moved Spielberg admitted it was the first time he had seen the film since 1993.   

'There were so many moments that washed over me,' he said. 'I watched the film and I was just …. proud. I’m very, very proud.'

Reunion: Liam Neeson (Oskar Schindler), Embeth Davidtz (Helen Hirsch), Steven Speilberg (dierctor), Sir Ben Kingsley (Itzhak Stern) and Caroline Goodall (Emilie Schindler) attended a retrospective screening and panel discussion on behalf of the film 

Reunion: Liam Neeson (Oskar Schindler), Embeth Davidtz (Helen Hirsch), Steven Speilberg (dierctor), Sir Ben Kingsley (Itzhak Stern) and Caroline Goodall (Emilie Schindler) attended a retrospective screening and panel discussion on behalf of the film 

Blockbuster: Neeson and Kingsley rightly won plaudits for their respective roles as Schindler and Stern (pictured)

Blockbuster: Neeson and Kingsley rightly won plaudits for their respective roles as Schindler and Stern (pictured)

Back together: Joined by Speilberg, the cast gathered for a portrait photo during their attendance at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday evening 

Back together: Joined by Speilberg, the cast gathered for a portrait photo during their attendance at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday evening 

The celebrated director added that he was particularly moved by one of the film's final scenes, in which the Jews saved by Schindler pay an emotional visit to his gravesite in Mount Zion, Jerusalem. 

'I was operating the camera when we shot that scene where the Schindler Jews go to the gravesite,' he recalled. 

'That long, lingering look Emilie Schindler gives to the grave — she had never been to the grave — really hit me for the first time.'

Let's talk: The cast fielded questions about the harrowing film as the lights went up at New York's Beacon Theatre 

Let's talk: The cast fielded questions about the harrowing film as the lights went up at New York's Beacon Theatre 

Special moment: Addressing the audience following an extended round of applause as the final credits rolled, a visibly moved Spielberg admitted it was the first time he had seen the film since 1993
Special moment: Addressing the audience following an extended round of applause as the final credits rolled, a visibly moved Spielberg admitted it was the first time he had seen the film since 1993

Special moment: Addressing the audience following an extended round of applause as the final credits rolled, a visibly moved Spielberg admitted it was the first time he had seen the film since 1993

Moved: 'There were so many moments that washed over me,' he said. 'I watched the film and I was just …. proud. I’m very, very proud' 

Moved: 'There were so many moments that washed over me,' he said. 'I watched the film and I was just …. proud. I’m very, very proud' 

Adapted from Australian novelist Thomas Keneally's 1982 book Schindler's Ark, the historical drama won seven Academy Awards - including Best Film and Best Director for Spielberg - following its release in 1993.

Recalling the first time he read Keneally's novel, Speilberg admitted he initially struggled with its dark subject matter having only just completed work on family friendly science-fiction film ET: The Extra Terrestrial.  

'It took me a month to read. It was very dense,' he told the audience on Thursday evening. 'And it was very difficult because it was so full of confirming facts.'   

Old times: Ben Kingsley, Liam Neeson and Caroline Goodall on the set of Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster 

Old times: Ben Kingsley, Liam Neeson and Caroline Goodall on the set of Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster 

Looking back: added that he was particularly moved by one of the film's final scenes, in which the Jews saved by Schindler pay an emotional visit to his gravesite in Mount Zion, Jerusalem

Looking back: added that he was particularly moved by one of the film's final scenes, in which the Jews saved by Schindler pay an emotional visit to his gravesite in Mount Zion, Jerusalem

Stellar performance: Neeson narrowly missed out on an Academy Award for his portrayal of German businessman Schindler

Stellar performance: Neeson narrowly missed out on an Academy Award for his portrayal of German businessman Schindler

While the film hinges on Schindler's efforts to save as many Jewish refugees as possible, it also documents the horror of the concentration camps and the suffering of prisoners at the hands of SS commandant Amon Göth, played by Ralph Fiennes. 

'We were capturing trauma,' Spielberg said, admitting that some cast members needed time away from the set after shooting some of the film's more harrowing scenes. 

He added: 'They were having breakdowns.' 

Emotional impact: 'We were capturing trauma,' Spielberg said, admitting that some cast members needed time away from the set after shooting some of the film's more harrowing scenes

Emotional impact: 'We were capturing trauma,' Spielberg said, admitting that some cast members needed time away from the set after shooting some of the film's more harrowing scenes

Success: Adapted from Australian novelist Thomas Keneally's 1982 book Schindler's Ark, the historical drama won seven Academy Awards - including Best Film and Best Director for Spielberg - following its release in 1993

Success: Adapted from Australian novelist Thomas Keneally's 1982 book Schindler's Ark, the historical drama won seven Academy Awards - including Best Film and Best Director for Spielberg - following its release in 1993

 

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Liam Neeson, Steven Spielberg and Sir Ben Kingsley reunite for screening of Schindler's List

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